


Questionable Companions

by pt_tucker



Series: Questionable [2]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Background Angeal/Zack, Cute, Fluff and Crack, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Strange Refrigerator Creatures, silliness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-25
Updated: 2018-04-25
Packaged: 2019-04-27 20:50:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14433810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pt_tucker/pseuds/pt_tucker
Summary: Genesis insists Tom tried to murder him. Cloud, looking down at the small, green fuzzball currently trying to hug Gen, has his doubts.





	Questionable Companions

**Author's Note:**

> Haha, look at me finally editing and posting this like half a year after the first one. What even is a consistent writing schedule?
> 
> FYI, Cloud's a SOLDIER in this and is around nineteen years old, with Zack being around twenty. I realize there's a power imbalance between a First Class and a Third Class, and between a mentor and student, but we're going to pretend that wouldn't negatively effect any relationships in fanfic land.

Genesis scrubbed furiously at his face with a soapy washcloth, as he had for the past five minutes, only pausing every once in a while to get more soap and to glare at Tom.

“That thing tried to murder me!” he insisted when Cloud asked him to cast another Blizzard at the small bowl Tom was currently occupying on the bed. 

“No he didn’t.”

“I assure you, he did, and now that I know exactly what you’re using that bowl for-” He gave Cloud a look that said they would be having words later about how he’d tricked Genesis into icing it the first time. “-I’m not going to spell it again. I will not help that monster live another minute longer.”

Cloud rolled his eyes and snatched the materia off the bathroom counter. He cast Blizzard himself before Genesis could stop him. It got everywhere, coating not just the bowl, but the entire bed and most of the floor and every piece of furniture. Tom bounced up and down as tiny icicles rained down upon him.

Cloud handed the materia back to a horrified Genesis. “There, that wasn’t so hard.”

“We are going to have materia training together from now on. Every day, for at least an hour. No, two.” Genesis eyed the room. “Perhaps three.”

Cloud shrugged. He wasn’t about to turn down an offer of tutoring from the materia master himself. Sure, Zack would pout about Genesis stealing his student once he told him, but only until Cloud pointed out that he wasn’t exactly an expert. Certainly not compared to Genesis, anyway.

Hmmm. Maybe he could get Gen to work with Zack as well. Genesis wasn’t fond of teaching people, but surely by now he was fond enough of _Cloud_ to say yes if he asked nicely? 

Genesis poked Tom with the back-end of a hairbrush as he whispered threats into the bowl. He sent a scowl in Cloud’s direction when Tom merely bounced in response to his impending doom. 

Cloud would bribe him. With blowjobs. Many, many blowjobs. 

“Stop poking him.” Cloud scooped Tom’s bowl up and took him into the living room.

“Would you prefer I Firaga him instead?” Genesis muttered.

Whether he’d meant Cloud to hear that or if he’d forgotten about Cloud’s newly-minted SOLDIER hearing, Cloud didn’t know, but he didn’t dignify him with a response either way. Heat flowed out of the bedroom, and Cloud glanced back to find Genesis carefully drying it with a controlled Fire spell. 

“I insist you take him back to the labs,” Genesis said, stepping into the living room. Cloud eyed the materia in his hand. “He’s dangerous. He tried to smother me in my sleep!” Genesis pointed at the spot where Tom had crawled onto his face in the middle of the night.

“Maybe he just wanted to cuddle?” Cloud asked, though even he had to admit it was strange. He still wasn’t quite certain how Tom had gotten onto the bed in the first place. Or out of the fridge, for that matter.

“He lives in the refrigerator because otherwise he’ll die,” Genesis drawled, giving Cloud a most unimpressed look, “So unless that’s changed in the past three hours and he now needs to huddle close for warmth, I can’t possibly see any reason as to why he would seek out a heat-producing entity. Clearly it was an attack.”

“Tom wouldn’t attack you. He likes you.” Cloud held up the bowl, inside of which Tom was trying to reach out towards Genesis with his little arm-like side blobs.

Genesis shuddered and pressed a hand to his cheek.

“We have had him for a while, though,” Cloud said slowly, thinking it over. “Maybe he changes for the seasons?” Genesis might not be entirely irrational. He _could_ be cold. Except Tom seemed perfectly happy with his ice bowl. He just _really_ wanted Genesis.

Cloud bit his lip. He’d heard tales of chocobos getting a little too…invested in some of their owners. Maybe…

“Maybe he’s attracted to you?”

=======================================================

“…and I don’t really think he needs to eat from what I’ve seen. Uh, don’t tell Gen that. He’ll be convinced he’s trying to devour him next.” Cloud sighed and rubbed the back of his head as he looked around the apartment. Was he forgetting anything?

“Oh! And sometimes I make him a bed of lettuce to lay on. He prefers romaine but he’ll take-” Cloud paused as Zack pressed his hands down onto his shoulders.

“Spikey, it’s okay. I got this. You’ve been telling me about him for weeks! I’ll call you if there’s any issues, I promise.”

Cloud opened his mouth to protest - he hadn’t even told him about Tom’s favorite meatball yet! - but then closed it when he took in the way Zack’s eyelids drooped. 

It was pretty late.

“Sorry, you’re right. I’m sure he’ll be fine. At least we know he doesn’t have any medical conditions we need to worry about.” He gave Zack a tentative smile. 

Genesis had insisted upon not only having the both of them looked over, but having Zack _and_ Angeal checked as well, before having Tom himself examined by one of Hollander’s lab assistants. Secretly. Apparently he’d threatened to burn down the man’s house if he told anyone or something like that. Cloud honestly didn’t want to know.

Zack ruffled his hair and gave him a sleepy grin. “Yep. Now, let’s get this little guy to bed.” He gently jiggled Tom, who’d been staring up at Zack with rapt attention since the moment Cloud had placed the bowl in Zack’s hands.

Well, Cloud assumed he was staring. It was sort of hard to tell. He didn’t have eyes.

Tom just seemed really interested in Zack.

A feeling of unease crept up along his spine as Zack set Tom in the fridge and closed the door. Cloud pulled the kitchen table in front of it.

“Uh…” Cloud fidgeted as Zack eyed the table. “Maybe we should make sure this stays closed. Just for tonight.” He’d buy an icebox with a lock tomorrow and attempt to convince Genesis that sleeping in the same apartment as a living fuzzball wasn’t a death trap. 

Zack cocked his head to the side, but was obviously too tired to comment. 

“Well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.” Cloud gave the fridge one last look before heading towards the door.

“Sure thing, Spikey.” Cloud heard him yawn.

Everything was going to be fine. Gen’s paranoia was getting to him, that’s all.

=======================================================

Cloud was awoken the next morning by his PHS going off at the ungodly hour of 10AM. Which was only ungodly because he’d been up all night having Genesis-induced fits of terror as he imagined Zack being eaten alive in his sleep.

He pinched Genesis’ nipple as payback when he reached across him to grab it from the night table. Genesis grumbled and rolled over. 

“Hey Spikey.” Zack’s voice filtered through the speaker. It sounded…off. 

Cloud’s shoulders stiffened. “Hey Zack. What’s up? You got a mission? Want me to come get Tom?”

“If you want. You don’t have to. We’re having a great time. It’s just…”

By now Genesis had propped himself up on his elbow and was watching Cloud’s face as he listened in on the conversation. 

“Just?” Cloud prompted.

“Uh…did you know that Tom is super strong? Like _can move a kitchen table_ strong?”

Cloud didn’t even bother getting dressed as he rushed out of the apartment.

=======================================================

“Hey, I’m okay, really! Little guy just wanted to cuddle. He didn’t hurt me, I swear.”

“I’ll be the judge of that.” Angeal - who’d been called over at Genesis’ insistence - ran his fingers across Zack’s bare chest, checking for any temperature differentials or raised skin or anything else he might find. A Sense materia occupied his other hand. 

“You guys worry too much. All he did was sleep on me.”

“That’s what you say now, until you wake up screaming as alien offspring rip their way out of your stomach.”

They all turned to look at Genesis.

He bristled. “I watch films.”

Cloud glanced at Tom. “You wouldn’t impregnate Zack with alien babies, would you?”

Tom ignored him in favor of making grabby motions towards Genesis, who’d resolved to stay at least five steps away from him at all times.

Angeal shook his head as he put the Sense materia in his pocket. “Well, I can’t find anything, and Genesis already had Tom examined by that assistant, so I think Zack’s safe for now. I will admit that I’m leery of the fact that he has the ability to not only get out of the fridge by himself, but to move heavy furniture while he’s doing it. I don’t know how he even crawled his way onto the bed.”

“He slides,” Zack said, throwing his shirt back on, “like a slug. Probably went up the bedposts.”

Genesis touched his cheek. “Disgusting.”

It was then that Sephiroth made his appearance, opening the door after only a single knock and without waiting for their reply. Cloud fiddled with the bottom of his shirt. Not a good sign if he was in such a rush to get back.

“I skimmed through a few of the pages while it was printing,” he said, handing a stack of papers to Cloud. “According to the lab’s report, he’s a prototype for a new kind of biological protection equipment.”

“Like armor?” Angeal asked.

“He doesn’t look like armor,” Zack said, taking the bowl from Cloud so he could flip through the report. 

Sephiroth shook his head. “A more accurate description would be ‘guard dog,’ though they’re having difficulty getting it to guard. He wasn’t fond of anyone in the labs and was unwilling to protect them from danger.”

Genesis snorted, his disdain for ShinRa’s Science Department no secret. “I wonder why.”

Cloud hummed in agreement as he scanned the pages.

“Shouldn’t he want to stay with Cloud then? I mean, I stole him, but Cloud’s the one who took him home. And Genesis doesn’t even like him.” 

“One would think,” Sephiroth replied.

They all glanced at Tom, who was swaying back and forth as he followed Genesis’ pacing.

“Maybe he thinks you two need more protection?” Cloud offered, not really seeing anything in the report that would indicate Tom _wouldn’t_ latch onto him. 

“Zack certainly does.” Angeal ruffled Zack’s hair.

“Agreed.”

“Most definitely.” 

Zack gave them a look of betrayal. “I’m a SOLDIER First Class! I can protect myself!”

“Sure you can, pup.” Angeal tilted Zack’s chin upwards as he gave him a kiss.

Zack all but melted into it and Cloud smiled, happy that Zack was happy.

Tom hopped out of the bowl and bounced his way up Zack’s arm, stopping only once he’d reached the crook of his neck, where he settled down and…nuzzled him.

They all stared.

“Okay, maybe he doesn’t slide,” Zack said.

“That’s it, I’m burning him.” 

“No you’re not.” Angeal stepped in front of Zack.

Genesis rolled the Fire materia in his palm. “Don’t worry. I won’t hit the puppy.”

Cloud glared at him. He slipped behind Angeal and grabbed Tom before Genesis could do anything rash. Or, well, he attempted to.

Tom was, uh, not moving. 

“He’s stuck, isn’t he?” Genesis deadpanned.

“…Only a little.”

“Alien offspring.” Genesis went back to pacing. “Soon there will be an entire hoard of them.” Angeal’s eyes followed him while Sephiroth crept up from behind. They all knew Genesis was just biding his time, waiting for an opening to attack.

“Look,” Cloud said, holding out the report, “It says here that he latches onto his ‘protectee’ when he senses high emotion. Guess Tom must think someone in here is about to burn down the ShinRa apartments.”

Genesis looked downright offended. “My control is far more pre-”

Angeal and Sephiroth pounced on him, the former ripping the materia out of his hand while the latter twisted his arms behind his back and pushed him to the floor. Genesis hissed like a cat as he struggled, but there weren’t many people who could buck off Sephiroth. Maybe not any.

“I know where you sleep,” Genesis threatened.

Angeal patted his head - which only made Genesis struggle more - and riffled through his coat pockets, pulling out all of Gen’s extra materia. He dumped them on Zack’s sofa.

Sephiroth released him then, jumping back like one might when releasing a wild chocobo.

Genesis made a show of dusting himself off as he stood. It would have been a tad more effective if he hadn’t still been in his boxers, his coat having been thrown on haphazardly as he’d darted out the door after Cloud, no doubt solely for the materia it held inside. 

His glower promised death to them all.

Cloud was going to have to give him so, so many blowjobs.

“I see that the creature has already infected your minds.”

“Because we won’t let you burn down the building?” Angeal crossed his arms. 

“Gen.” Cloud touched his elbow. Genesis considered him for a moment before sighing and wrapping his arm around Cloud’s shoulders.

“Gen!”

Time seemed to slow as they turned toward Tom. He unlatched himself from Zack and proceeded to bounce up and down on his shoulder, his little arm-blobs reaching out for Genesis as he said ‘Gen’ over and over again.

“The report did not mention this,” Sephiroth said after a moment of everyone being too dumbstruck to say anything.

“Wow, you can talk!” Zack pretended to wipe a tear from his eye. “All grown up and naming your mortal enemy.”

“Zack,” Angeal chided.

“He’s the one that keeps threatening him! Isn’t that right, Tom?”

“Gen!” Tom continued bouncing. He kept waving at Genesis, clearly waiting for him to come pick him up.

That wasn’t going to be happening any time soon. Not if the way Genesis was not-so-subtly creeping towards the materia was any indication. 

“Oh.” Cloud blinked as it hit him. “I think maybe he tries to protect whoever I’m currently focused on.”

“Dreaming about my puppy last night, were you?” Angeal teased.

“I was just worried about him,” Cloud grumbled. He refused to acknowledge the heat rushing to his cheeks.

“And why would you be worried if your ‘pet’ is perfectly safe?” Genesis smirked.

Cloud was saved from having to answer when Zack shrugged. “He didn’t hurt me.”

“Yet.”

Zack ignored him in favor of Tom. “Hey, can you say ‘GenGen worries too much’?”

“If you teach that thing to call me _GenGen_ I will put sand in your underpants the next time you’re scheduled to lead a drill.”

“There is no sand in Midgar,” Sephiroth said, as if that were the only concerning part of that statement.

“I will go to the coast myself and return with it, if I must.”

He probably would too.

“C’mon Tom, let’s get you back in the fridge.” Cloud took the bowl from Zack and scooped him back in. “Though, maybe you don’t need it as much as we thought.” 

They’d just assumed he needed to stay cool after they’d discovered him in a cooling unit in the lab, but now Cloud wasn’t so sure. But it was best not to risk it. If he wasn’t careful, Genesis would Firaga him and pretend he’d died of heat exhaustion.

“Gen! Gen!” Tom bounced as Cloud carried him into the kitchen. He gave one more bounce before Cloud closed the fridge door, Tom now safely inside. Oh, what he wouldn’t give for Zack to have a transparent refrigerator right then. Hopefully Tom was settling down and not plotting to come after Genesis the moment Cloud’s back was turned.

He came back to find Genesis stalking around Sephiroth and Angeal, materia in hand once again.

“Why don’t you guys spar?” Hopefully it’d take Genesis’ mind off Tom long enough for him and Zack to decide exactly what they wanted to do about the situation.

If he couldn’t keep him, and if Zack couldn’t keep him (because no way was Angeal going to allow Tom to stay if there was still some uncertainty about Tom’s intentions) then that left…who? One of the other SOLDIERs Cloud wasn’t as fond of? Sephiroth? Cloud couldn’t imagine anything ever harming the ‘Silver General’ even if Tom did turn out to be less than innocent. 

Genesis paused in the middle of his pacing, his eyes darting from Sephiroth to Angeal and then to Cloud. “Only if you come along. I refuse to leave you unprotected with that thing.”

“I can stay with them both,” Zack offered.

“As I said, I refuse to leave Cloud without protection.”

Zack pouted. 

“Fine,” Cloud said. If they left there would be no reason for Tom to escape the fridge. And if he did, it wasn’t as if he could get all the way to the training rooms by himself.

“You too.” Angeal wrapped his arm around Zack’s shoulders and guided him towards the door.

“Uh, shouldn’t we put some clothes on first?”

Genesis snorted. “You think this is the first time we’ve strode through ShinRa half-naked?”

Now that was a story Cloud needed to hear.

=======================================================

In the end, they did put some clothes on, if only because Genesis refused to fight Sephiroth in his underwear when Sephiroth himself was fully dressed. 

Sparks flew as Masamune met Genesis’ blade and then Angeal’s and then Genesis’ again, Sephiroth switching from opponent to opponent as if it were nothing. Cloud rubbed his eyes. They were starting to get dry with how few times he’d allowed himself to blink, not wanting to miss even a second.

A lot could happen in a second when you were fighting Sephiroth.

Beside him, Zack was fidgeting with excitement, the occasional “Go Angeal!” shouted across the room when he couldn’t seem to stop himself. He’d had the decency to look sheepish the first few times, but by now he didn’t seem to care, openly cheering whenever Angeal managed to get in a hit. 

Cloud didn’t bother cheering for Genesis. The man’s ego was big enough already. Instead, he settled for giving him a wave whenever his attention shifted away from Sephiroth long enough for him to look in Cloud’s direction.

It almost always cost Genesis, Sephiroth not one to allow an opening to go by without exploitation, but Genesis looked anyway. Cloud’s stomach fluttered every time it happened.

Of course, distraction or not, Genesis wasn’t putting up much of a fight two hours into the spar. His movements were getting more and more sluggish, and at the same time Angeal’s swings were starting to push Sephiroth back less and less. They were going to have to call it a day soon, unless they wanted to go until Sephiroth brought them to their knees.

Cloud swallowed. Now that would be a sight.

Genesis blocked Sephiroth’s next blow. Badly. His arms had to be throbbing by now and it showed. They shook as Masamune glanced off his blade and then they buckled when Sephiroth came back with a second swing, only the appearance of Angeal’s practice sword between them stopping Genesis from being pushed off balance completely.

But cheap ShinRa training blades weren’t meant to hold up against the fine craftsmanship of commissioned weapons, nor could they endure the pressure of two SOLDIERs First Class pushing in from either side. It snapped. 

“Genesis!” several voices shouted at once. Zack rushed towards the middle of the room, Cloud right behind him, while Angeal and Sephiroth darted back.

And, in between the chaos of it all, Cloud heard the soft, almost joyous, “GenGen!”

Tom’s body had expanded to cover Genesis’ entire shoulder, green fuzz almost wrist-deep as it gripped the broken blade. Genesis, who’d been knocked off his feet when Tom had slammed into him full-force, blinked at him, still obviously dazed.

“GenGen!” Tom said again, before bouncing over to Cloud. He offered the busted sword piece to him like a child showing off their latest art creation. 

Genesis seemed to recover from his shock. “That thing-”

“Did a great job!” Zack cut in, scooping up Tom and squeezing him to his chest. “Look at how good you did!” He showed Tom Genesis, who glowered at them both. “He’s not even bleeding.”

“GenGen!”

Sephiroth fell to the floor beside Genesis, silver strands spilling across his shoulders as he dropped his head between his knees and sighed. 

Whatever curse Genesis had been about to unleash upon Tom was lost as his expression softened. 

“We’ll find Angeal a better weapon to spar with,” he said instead.

“Agreed,” Angeal said.

Zack sat Tom on Genesis’ shoulder. He stiffened at first, before seeming to accept it.

“GenGen!” Tom pressed what could only be a kiss to Genesis’ cheek. 

Genesis, thankfully, didn’t comment. 

Cloud grinned. He owed Genesis so, so many blowjobs.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoyed it! I'd love to hear what you thought! Comments & kudos are love. <3


End file.
